Be it vocals, acting chops, or beauty looks, Brandy has always been in a league of her own. She stepped into the ’90s with her signature braids and radiant smile, redefining what it meant to merge artistry with authenticity.
Whether she’s experimenting with bold lip colors, serving flawless skin on the red carpet, or embracing hairstyles that celebrate Black girl magic in all its forms, every look is not just a style choice, but a statement.
Back in 1995, Brandy lit up the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet with a bold red lip that matched her monochrome look—giving us one of her earliest and most iconic beauty statements. The following year, at the 23rd Annual American Music Awards, she leaned into her signature braids and soft glam, wearing brown glitter eyeshadow with a pink lipstick that perfectly highlighted her youthful glow. By 1998, at the premiere of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Brandy showed off her playful side by rocking a two-toned lip look with liner and contrasting color—long before the trend took over.
In 2001, she brought back her signature braids at the 32nd Annual NAACP Image Awards, pairing them with golden highlighter, copper eyeshadow, and glossy lips. A few years later, in 2004, Brandy was all about that Y2K glow when she stepped out for an appearance on MTV’s TRL, where her clear skin, shimmery shadow, and lip gloss embodied effortless pop culture beauty.
By 2008, during her Human album era, she turned heads at the Sony/BMG Grammy After Party with long hair styled in a playful poof and bronzer swept across her face for a warm, sun-kissed look. And in 2012, at BET’s series premiere event at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Brandy closed out the night with a glam moment that turned heads. Think: full bangs, copper eyeshadow, pink highlighter, and glossy lips. In other words, this look was proof that nearly two decades into her career, her beauty evolution was still serving.
As for her recent moment? On our Fall/Winter 2025 cover, she sat angelically alongside sister-friend Monica with silky onyx strands, full lashes, and flawless base.
In honor of the Fall/Winter cover star, here are our favorite beauty moments below.
386837 09: Grammy Award-Winning Singer/Actress Brandy Stars As Moesha Mitchell, In The United Paramount Network Popular Half-Hour Comedy Series “Moesha.” (Photo By Getty Images)
Brandy (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Brandy during The 32nd Annual NAACP Image Awards – Music at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal, California, United States. (Photo by J. Vespa/WireImage)
Brandy during The 9th Annual Soul Train Music Awards at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Brandy during 23rd Annual American Music Awards at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)
Brandy during “Beloved” New York Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Brandy during Debut of Ray J at Life in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Steve Eichner/WireImage)
Brandy during The “Today” Show’s 2004 Summer Concert Series – Brandy at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Derek Storm/FilmMagic)
Singer Brandy arrives at the Sony/BMG Grammy After Party held on February 10, 2008 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)
Brandy arrives at US Weekly’s Hot Hollywood “Stars Who Care” Event at The Colony on November 18, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – JANUARY 05: Actress/recording artist Brandy Norwood arrives at the BET’s “The Game” And “Let’s Stay Together” series premiere at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on January 5, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES – 2002: Singer and actress Brandy Norwood poses for a portrait in 2002 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images)
Brandy during Brandy Visits MTV’s TRL – July 1, 2004 at MTV Studios, Times Square in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by James Devaney/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 02: Actress Brandy Norwood attends the 2015 Alvin Ailey Opening Night Benefit Gala at New York City Center on December 2, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Ron Adar/Getty Images)
Singer Brandy arrives for the Clive Davis & The Recording Academy’s 2016 Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills, California, February 14, 2016. AFP PHOTO/ MARK RALSTON (Photo by MARK RALSTON / AFP) (Photo by MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 11: Singer / Actress Brandy attends the Primary Wave 11th Annual Pre-GRAMMY Party at The London West Hollywood on February 11, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 20: Singer Brandy attends the ‘BET Her Fights Breast Cancer’ special event at Riverside Epicenter on September 20, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for BET)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 14: In this image released on October 14, Brandy poses backstage at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on October 14, 2020 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Amy Sussman/BBMA2020/Getty Images for dcp )
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 29: LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 29: In this image released on November 29th, Brandy attends the 2020 Soul Train Awards presented by BET. (Photo by Leon Bennett/STA 2020/Getty Images for BET)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 26: Bran’ Nu performs onstage during the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for BET)
Brandy Norwood at the “Descendants: The Rise Of Red” premiere at Walt Disney Studios on July 10, 2024 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)
